Neighbors on edge after Huntsville's 9th homicide

Huntsville police are investigating the ninth homicide so far this year.

Police said 20-year-old Lawrence Alan Williams was found lying in the street suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. It happened just after 9 p.m. Sunday on Melody Road in the Edmonton Heights neighborhood. Williams died at the scene.

Witnesses said an altercation started on Hollow Road and spilled over to Melody Road where the shooting happened. One woman reported hearing as many as nine shots. Witnesses described seeing a dark-colored Lexus with two people inside speed away after the shooting.

Neighbors, whose fear from Sunday night's shooting led to them asking for their identities to be concealed, were not afraid to talk about problems in the neighborhood. Many were in agreement that there is a need for more police patrols.

"I barely see them," said one neighbor. "I probably see them once or twice a week, just riding on through on second shift and that's it. It's not that bad out here, just people bring it here."

Hollow Road was the same location for another shooting last month where Delawrence Thomas was shot in the head. His death marked the seventh homicide in 2014. Brandon Moore, 17, was arrested and charged with murder just hours after that shooting.

Huntsville Police Chief Lewis Morris has said in the past that an increase in homicides and drug arrests gives his officers a clear picture of where they need to focus their efforts, and that is getting to the trafficker. There is no word on if Sunday's murder was drug-related.

At this time police have not been able to identify any suspects in the latest murder. The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information that can help police solve the case, you are asked to call HPD.

It sounds just like the plot line of a television show- a woman naked and afraid, lost in remote woods. But Lisa Theris’ journey back to civilization was real life and a real struggle that lasted a month in Bullock County.

It sounds just like the plot line of a television show- a woman naked and afraid, lost in remote woods. But Lisa Theris’ journey back to civilization was real life and a real struggle that lasted a month in Bullock County.